Magic man Mahrez puts case to come in from the cold
REAL MADRID manager Zinedine Zidane has hailed Pep Guardiola as “the best coach in the world”. Zidane’s praise follows the Champions League draw which pitted Real against City, with the first leg of the last 16 clash at the
Bernabeu in late February.
It is a repeat of the 2016 semi-final that Zidane’s Real won 1-0, with the Frenchman in the early stages of his first spell in charge of the Spanish giants – and just two months prior to ex-Barcelona boss Guardiola’s arrival at The Etihad.
“It will be special to face him,” Zidane said.
“I played many times against him. I respected him as a player, and now as a coach. I think he is the best coach in the world. He has shown it throughout his career.”
Zidane will be without Eden Hazard, James Rodriguez, Marcelo and Marco Asensio for today’s game against Athletic Bilbao due to injuries.
ANYONE would think Riyad Mahrez had a point to prove.
He didn’t. He had several. To Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, to his former team-mates at Leicester City and, most of all, to himself.
It’s easy to forget Mahrez remains City’s second-biggest signing following his £60million move from the Foxes to The Etihad in 2018.
City have spent so much money on so many players since Guardiola arrived in
2016 that it’s difficult to remember who cost what and when.
There’s also the fact Mahrez has found himself on the outside looking in for most of his time in Manchester.
Having been a big fish in a smaller pond at the King Power Stadium, Mahrez soon realised he was swimming with sharks.
The Algerian has picked up four trophies since joining City but part of him will have felt like a fraud in doing so considering yesterday was just his 43rd start in all competitions in
18 months. There must have been times when Mahrez himself wondered why Guardiola had decided to splash so much on him in the first place.
But here at The Etihad he reminded everyone why – and his timing couldn’t have been better.
The evening didn’t start too well when Mahrez shanked a shot with his right foot towards the corner flag inside 12 minutes.
But the problem for the Foxes was that his left foot was acting like a magician’s wand. Just ask Ben Chilwell. The England left-back had the birthday from hell trying – but failing – to contain the rampaging Mahrez as he reproduced the form that made him the 2016 PFA Players’ Player of the Year after inspiring his former side to the most stunning title triumph of modern times.
It was like a blast from the past.
Those quick feet and that drop of the shoulder.
Defenders know what’s coming but still can’t do anything about it.
He left Chilwell, England’s first-choice left-back heading towards Euro 2020, with twisted blood as he single-handedly hauled City back into a game that had threatened to get away from them.
It was a Fox hunt of cruel proportions.
He tested keepr Kasper Schmeichel with a rasping drive and set-up a chance for Gabriel Jesus before taking the initiative himself to equalise on 30 minutes with his fifth league goal of the season in just his eighth start.
The man known as the Algerian Prince was producing a royal performance to remind everyone in attendance quite what he was capable of.
Only the brilliance of Schmeichel denied him a hat-trick.
The question now is, will it make any difference?
In the past, Guardiola has had a habit of leaving Mahrez out in favour of his trusted stars for the big games.
But this match could be a watershed moment for Mahrez.
With David Silva leaving The Etihad in May and Leroy Sane determined to return to the Bundesliga, more opportunities could start to knock for him.
He is someone with far too much talent to be ignored.